SHEEP-NOSTKIL MAGGOT. 
125 
adhesion of its own lower surface, to the smooth surface of the 
glass. 
With a view to learn what might happen when the maggots had 
the opportunity of entering the brain, I placed two on the brain of 
a recently killed sheep, and watched operations. One maggot 
gradually disappeared from sight, amongst the folds of the brain ; for 
some time it appeared (when I turned back a fold) to be moist and 
inflated, but presently died. The other remained outside, and though 
from the colour of the contents it was obvious it imbibed the blood 
or coloured fluid in which it was lying, this specimen died also. It 
was not likely that in any case the maggots should live on putrescent 
matter, but the above experiment at least showed that when there was 
every need for them to find congenial shelter, that though one buried 
itself in the folds of the quite fresh brain, neither of them made 
entrance into the substance. 
It may be thought that entering on the above matter of possible 
brain presence is quite unnecessary, but from the popular views which 
are held in some localities, and the doubts which have been ex¬ 
pressed, or statements made in various entomological works, it has 
seemed desirable to endeavour to say something on the subject. 
I have little personal knowledge of the attack in its really im¬ 
portant aspect as injurious to the flock in the field, and as this comes 
under regular veterinary treatment need not enter on this part. But 
it could not fail to be of service when the flies are tormenting the 
sheep, which may be known by the sheep putting their heads down to 
the ground, and stamping with their fore-feet as if to drive off the 
attack, to move them if possible to fresh pastures, where the flies were 
not coming out of chrysalids from maggots lately dropped from the 
noses of the sheep, and also to adopt the common practice of tarring 
near the opening of the nostril, or to use any other possibly more 
serviceable application, so as to deter the fly from passing in to lay 
eggs, - or to prevent any maggots which may have been deposited 
alive or hatched out, from crawling into the nostrils and establishing 
themselves within. 
I beg to acknowledge the figures of the fly, &c., of the (Estrus ovis , 
L., at p. 125, as being copied from the beautiful illustrations given by 
Dr. Friedrich Brauer in Plates III. and VII. of his ‘ Monograpliie der 
CEstriden.’ 
